3 i4 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER ch. 
state, suffering from constant fever, yet tramping 
day after day through long grass, wading through 
water and marshes, night after night sleeping in 
wet clothes, and never a blink of sunshine during 
the whole time to enable him to dry his kit. The 
very small quantities of flour, tea, and sugar which 
he had been able to take with him when his carriers 
had bolted, now ran out, and as sores had broken 
out in his mouth and throat, he was incapable of 
eating meat, which was the only food procurable. 
When he was absolutely unable to proceed any 
further, his boys built him a small grass shelter, 
under which he lay, hoping in a short time to regain 
strength enough to reach some village where food 
such as fowls, eggs, and vegetables might be 
obtained. It was here that a strange tragedy was 
enacted. One day, when his boys were preparing 
the roots of a wild plant, called acca, which they 
had found in the forest, and which are poisonous 
till cooked to shreds with several changes of water, 
something after the manner of tapioca, Watkinson, 
by this time delirious with sickness, suddenly 
emerged from his shelter, and seeing the pot steam¬ 
ing over the fire, proceeded to help himself to some 
of the deadly contents. Only-one boy was present at 
the time, and he, warning his master that the poison 
had not been eliminated, strove to dissuade him 
from partaking of the baneful roots ; but Watkin- 
